


Roman and Patton - A Quiet Conversation

by gottawriteanegoortwo



Series: Sanders Sides (No Ships) [9]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: (literally sitting in the background), Background Thomas Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders Needs a Hug, Gen, accidental guilt, he disappeared for a few weeks and everyone got worried about him, he's not been doing great, patton tries to be a good friend, the two boys are having a chat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26380006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gottawriteanegoortwo/pseuds/gottawriteanegoortwo
Summary: A few weeks after the events of 'Putting Others First', Patton and Roman sit in Thomas' sitting room to talk about what's troubling Roman. He's barely been seen by the others, and won't give Janus a chance at friendship. A proper heart-to-heart conversation might help figure out what's happened in recent times.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Sanders Sides (No Ships) [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870696
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28





	Roman and Patton - A Quiet Conversation

The pair sat in silence in the living room. Thomas was sitting at the table, immersed in an online meeting. He paid the Sides no heed and left them to their own devices. Patton claimed the side of the couch closest to the window, while Roman had taken two cushions and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Patton. Roman’s eyes were on his hands as he idly fidgeted with the cuffs of his Beast onesie.

“I’ll sit here as long as I need to, kiddo. I’m not going anywhere until you feel right as rain.” Patton’s soft statement broke the monotonous silence as Roman finally looked up. How long had they sat like this for - ten minutes? Fifteen?

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” Roman’s voice grew quieter as he lost confidence and lowered his gaze. “It’s over, it’s done. Everyone has carried on. Nothing else I can do.”

“So you’re gonna keep locking yourself in your room and hope to never leave again? What good is that gonna do for you _or_ Thomas?” Patton leaned forward to make sure Roman could see the sincerity on his face. “You’ve had me worried sick, and the others too. I couldn't help but think that - that you…"

"I'm sorry." Patton's posture briefly stiffened at how the apology cut through his worry. "I didn't mean to upset you, Patton. It's been… A difficult few weeks. I've found it hard to adjust." Roman paused with a sigh. For a heartbeat, it was like that was all he would say, but he willed himself to continue. "Things I have known forever are now wrong. Facts I took for granted were thrown back in my face. Everyone else seems to be okay with all the change and I'm the one at fault, like all this stress was because of me and me alone. I'm sorry I'm not buddy-buddy with Deceit like everyone else -"

"Janus."

"Whatever. I've had to get used to seeing _him_ around the place. And worse! The only Side I trusted more than _anyone_ in the world, the one who taught me the views of the world and how to be a good person… that Side was the first to welcome a blatant liar with open arms. I thought we had all agreed he wasn't good for Thomas?" Vocalising the frustrations that had been bubbling under the surface was helping, even at the cost of making matters worse.

"Janus is Self-Preservation too, just like how you have multiple roles." A simple counter was enough to make the prince visibly deflate like a punctured rainbow beach ball. It didn't stop Patton from continuing, "I know a lot of why you don't like him is 'cause of me… But I was wrong not to try to accept all sides of him better when I had the chance. If Janus didn't appear that night… Who knows what would have happened. Who knows how much farther I might have pushed Thomas. He was at breaking point by the night of the wedding. But now?" Patton glanced to the right, Roman following the gaze with a turn of his head. Thomas, seemingly forgetting the Sides were there at all, was trying not to laugh as he called Joan out for a smart-ass remark. "... He's happy. The happiest he's been in some time now, and all because Janus reminded him of why I shouldn't be the only one guiding Thomas."

"Pat… I don't want to talk about this because you're still upset about it all. You didn't mean for it to happen."

"But we nearly lost _you_. I didn't see you for two weeks after that night. And even now, you're missing that sparkle in your eyes, energy in your movements," a pause, "the passion in your heart."

"It's fine. It'll come back-"

"But will it? If you keep locking yourself away, you'll never pull yourself out of this slump, and we still need you, Roman. We all still love you. I've always rooted for your ideas and the way you made them come to life. I don't wantcha going through this alone, and I wanna do better. C'mon, champ. Think this is a thing we can work on together?"

Such genuine care. Such honest worry. Yet, it made Roman's stomach knot slightly. Roman might be one to throw himself into the centre of the stage for attention, but now it felt like it was the last thing he should do. Demote himself to the wings, wouldn't that be best?

"But how? I don't know what to do right now, and I don't think anyone else does."

"Then you gotta try! Come out like you did today. Reach out! Talk to the fellas! They've missed seeing you around, y'know. And that includes Janus."

"I doubt that." Roman curled in on himself a little. "He hates me. He has every right to. I'll keep out of his way and that'll make everyone happy."

"That won't help at all, kiddo. You're not even giving him a chance."

"Why should I? Any time I spoke to him before it was always my fault once you guys got involved! 'Oh, Roman, why agree with Deceit with lying to Joan?', 'Oh, Roman, why would you want to put the callback over Thomas being a good friend?', 'Oh Roman, why don't you like Deceit now we all do?'." Roman had to bite the inside of his cheek in the hope tears wouldn't well up. "I know. You'll say that this time will be different. But he _won_ . Not only does everyone like him, he got the added bonus of taking something close to me and tearing it into tiny pieces. When I've stepped into the room when others are there… He's _judging_ me. Waiting for me to say something and then pounce on it. I'm not ready for that." 

"Roman… that's not how it is." Patton slid off the couch to kneel before Roman and place a hand on the prince's shoulder. "He is better than that. He might be a little confusing to follow in conversation sometimes, sure… but he isn't all that bad. And I think it's something we all need to keep in mind. In the same way a dad has gotta be sure to love all his kids equally, a prince can't blindly discriminate against strangers that look like they 'may-or-may-not' be a danger to the kingdom." He gave a light squeeze to the shoulder as he continued, "I trust him, Roman. He's been proving he might have a bit of a heart of gold under all that yellow. He's been trying to help out more and make sure the others are okay!" 

"No trouble?"

"No trouble. Well, if you exclude the normal shenanigans around the place!" Patton laughed, though it waned as Roman didn't catch the humour. "Look, just give it a try, okay? Try and find that point where you two can talk without feeling stressed. He's an interesting guy."

"Yeah… alright…" Roman's heart wasn't in it, but did he have a choice? He would be pushed into it no matter how long it would take Roman to feel a _little_ better about himself. It would make Patton happy too, so that was good, right? 

**Author's Note:**

> Myself and a few friends have been roleplaying the Sides on Discord, and I write Roman and Patton. Roman was starting to try and open up, but I never gave the others the actual context of the conversation that the two had that 'encouraged' Roman to try and open up and ultimately try and start being friendlier toward Janus and Remus. Luckily, no context of the group rp beyond that is needed :D
> 
> (And no, Janus doesn't hate Roman in our roleplay group)


End file.
